Amazon Acquires Twitch, Rumors Say Acquisition Was up to $1.1 Billion

Who saw that coming?

Up until now, everyone was expecting Google to purchase Twitch. Rumors had been passed around that Google was going to purchase the video game streaming service for $1 billion. Instead of Google being the one to buy it, Twitch ceo Emmett Shear announced today that Amazon has acquired Twitch. However, Shear didn’t disclose how much Amazon had spent, though speculation is that the price was $1.1 billion.

“Today, I’m pleased to announce we’ve been acquired by Amazon,” said Shear. “We chose Amazon because they believe in our community, they share our values and long-term vision, and they want to help us get there faster. We’re keeping most everything the same: our office, our employees, our brand, and most importantly our independence. But with Amazon’s support we’ll have the resources to bring you an even better Twitch.”

The acquisition of Twitch appears to be a great deal for Amazon. Back in 2013, the streaming service had reported that there were 45 million users who had viewed around 12 billion minutes of video. Aside from primarily being used to stream games on PC, Sony’s PlayStation 4 and Microsoft’s Xbox One also feature Twitch, increasing the services reach and consumer base.

Despite Twitch’s popularity, it has been receiving quite a bit of criticism for some recent policy changes. Earlier this month, it announced that it would no longer save VODs for an indefinite amount of time. In addition, it has started to scan VODs for copyrighted music in 30-minute increments. If copyright music is detected, then that 30-minute block of video is muted.

But how do you feel about Amazon’s acquisition of Twitch? Is it a better alternative to Google? Sound off in the comments below!